Marado's Top Predator 'Cat'... Residents Demand "Removal from the Island"

Rare Birds Threatened on Marado
Cultural Heritage Administration Steps In After Discussions on Smuggling Issue
Residents: "On Condition of Safely Protecting Cats"

The issue of stray cats threatening the ecosystem on Marado, the southernmost point of the Korean Peninsula and a natural protected area, is showing signs of being resolved.

According to Yonhap News on the 12th, it has been confirmed that Marado residents have agreed to remove stray cats from the island to protect birds.

The village development committee (resident autonomy committee), consisting of about 10 members including the village chief of Marari, gathered opinions on the 11th meeting in favor of removing stray cats to protect rare birds. However, regarding the proposal to install a cat protection facility at the currently closed Marabun School branch, the committee concluded it was difficult considering the village’s circumstances.

Cats living in Marado Island
[Photo by Jeju World Heritage Headquarters]

The committee stated, “We are not taking sides between birds or cats,” adding the condition that cats must be safely protected. A committee official explained, “Cats are precious lives that residents have cared for by feeding them. They should be removed only after a protection facility is secured, and managed in a safe and comfortable environment.”

It is estimated that currently 50 to 60 stray cats inhabit Marado. These cats, originally brought in by residents for rat control or as pets, have become feral and now reign as the top predators on Marado.

The problem is that these cats threaten migratory birds traveling to and from Marado. In particular, the horned grebe, designated as a natural monument and a second-class endangered wild species, is a primary prey of the stray cats. A survey conducted in 2018-2019 found that over 5% of the horned grebe population suffered damage from cats.

Experts have stated, “Stray cats are a threatening presence not only to horned grebes but also to more than 150 species of migratory birds,” and diagnosed that “removing cats from Marado is the most direct countermeasure.”

In response, Jeju Vegan, an animal and life rights organization in Jeju, expressed opposition in a statement on the 1st. Jeju Vegan said, “The number of cats on Marado has been gradually decreasing since 2019, with over 90% neutered,” and added, “Instead of releasing cats onto the mainland, shelters should be created using closed schools or houses with large yards.”

A Mandarin duck threatened by a stray cat on Marado Island
[Photo by Korea National Park Service]

As the debate over cats continued, the Cultural Heritage Administration eventually stepped in. Currently, based on Article 42 of the Cultural Heritage Protection Act, the Cultural Heritage Administration is taking emergency measures regarding the Marado natural protected area. The current law states that “if necessary for the management and protection of nationally designated cultural properties, including natural monuments and natural protected areas, urgent measures may be taken against the owners, managers, or management organizations of such properties.”

To this end, the Cultural Heritage Administration has launched a consultative body composed of about 20 experts from various fields, including the Jeju World Heritage Headquarters, Seogwipo City, animal protection organizations, and academia, to review solutions to the problem. They have also started a research project to examine the damage caused by living organisms in the ecosystem within the natural protected area and to explore countermeasures.

Meanwhile, the Marari committee urged, “Relevant ministries and local governments should establish long-term and comprehensive plans for the conservation of the Marado natural protected area’s ecosystem, beyond just the issues of horned grebes and cats,” and called for “plans and budgets for pest control of harmful organisms such as rats and cockroaches for the residents.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.